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N.C. ESSAY
Tuesday, April 16, 1974
N.C. tff\y
A RESPONSIBLE STUDENT NEWSPAPER
Crime On Campus . . .
Crime on the NCSA campus has reached staggering proportions. The problem is
many-faceted. There is a problem with off-campus people, “townies” as we know them
coming on campus undetected and ripping students off. They have gained access to the
student dormitory rooms by climbing into open windows, predominantly .first floor.
They also walk through the halls until they find a room door unlocked, with no one in the
room, then they go in and take what they want.
Another problem is the fact that students are vandalizing and ripping-off the school.
The practice rooms in the main building are a mess because students don’t take care of
them. A window was mysteriously broken in E-F lounge, and a full keg of beer was
ripped-off from a storage room in the gym.
The Essay feels that students can take an active role in helping to cut down the crime
on campus. First, whenever you leave your room, shut and lock the window and lock
the door. Also, if you see unfaniiiliar people on campus, you should exercise your right
to r^uest their identification. If they refuse to show their identification card or cannot
justify their presence on the campus, immediately call the security guards.
The telephone number is 725-8556. When the operator answers, ask for 1368. You will
be connected directly with the guards' by radio.
In the matter of student vandalism and theft, please remember that a theft from the
school or vandalism against the school costs the students increased tuition, housing
costs, etc. Replacing or repairing of equipment and materials is a major reason that
operational costs increase.
By taking an active role in their own protection, students can help prevent theft and
prevent increased costs.
. . . At The Legislature
The governmental appropriation necessary to build the NCSA Workplace has finally
been passed by both houses of the N.C. Legislature. But not before Rep. Julian Fenner,
D-Nash, and other legislators took obviously prejudicial jabs at the school.
In an interview with the Winston-Salem Journal, Fenner said, “There are more out-
of-state students than in-state students there, and if we build a building on that campus
we are tying the General Assembly forever and a day to that school.”
What Mr. Fenner doesn’t seem to realize is that the legislature was tied “forever and
a day” to the school nine years ago when they passed a bill creating NCSA as a state
mstitution.
The legislature took it upon itself to approve a $5 million expansion of the East
Carolina University medical program, despite much expert testimony that the
program should not be expanded.
This is a clear case of legislative irresponsibility. The approval of the unjustified
program and the attempted withdrawal of funds from the Workplace proposal were
clearly politically motivated.
The Essay feels that something must be done to change our image in Raleigh. If the
problem is that the legislators dislike the arts, or “culture” as they call it, in general,
changing this attitude will require a reeducation of the masses by exposing people to
good, entertaining art. We feel the best way is for NCSA to send out more touring shows
such as the highly successful “Cavalcade” which toumed the state for two weeks
during the Intensive Arts period of December.
If the problem is basically political, that is, legislators opposing the school because of
its location in the state, or because they fear money used for the school will take away
money for other projects in their areas of the state, then we, as artists, will be required
to step away from our traditional as non-political roles.
Artists are just as much citizens as any farmer or businessman. We must bring our
political power to bear on our elected representatives. If you are a resident of North
Carolina, write your state senators and representatives, or give them a call when you
next go home. Tell them that, as a voter, you are upset with the treatment your school
has been getting in Raleigh. Tell them that, as one of their constituents, you would like
to see them take a stand in favor of the school in any future budgetary hassles. Mention
how highly the state of North Carolina is respected nationally for its innovations in the
arts, and how highly regarded is its fine arts school.
Thank You, Bilt-Rite
The Essay would like to extend a heart-felt thank you to Mr. Sam Tudor of the Bilt-
rite Auto Parts Company on Waughtown Street.
The auto parts firm recently moved, from its location next to the NCSA Design &
Production shops (see N.C. Essay, March 5, 1974, page 2), across the street to bigger
and more modem facilities.
In the move, Mr. Tudor found about $6,800 worth of material he would not be using in
his new location, including a $1,000 steam cleaning machine and $1,200 worth of steam
cleaning fluid.
Mr. Tudor decided to donate all of the material to the NCSA School of Design and
Production. H. Michael Byrum of the D&P staff and Sam Stone of the NCSA Foun
dation office handled the transaction for the school.
Much of the material will be very useful to the D&P department, according to Byrum.
On behalf of the School of Design and Production and the students of NCSA, the Essay
expressed much gratitude to this generous, considerate man and his business.
Letter to the Editor
“Well, they didn’t spoil my act!”
Prudence Mason offered colorful
sketches of Pat Taggart, Genie Carr and
myself in “Local Arts Critics Tell How
They Do It” in your March 5 issue. I
enjoyed the article, but I feel I should
correct a false impression that she may
have given.
In the article, she wrote that Duncan
Noble arranged for me to attend the West
Coast Institute for Dance Criticism. Her
choice of the word “arranged” is
misleading. Mr. Noble and Robert
Lindgren simply wrote letters of
recommendation for me, and that, I
think, is a long way from arranging
anything.
I was chosen to attend the institute by
Lydia Joel, former editor of Dance
Magazine, and others with no con
nections with the N.C. School of the Arts.
My expenses were paid by grants from
the Association of American Dance
Companies, the National Endowment for
the Arts and other groups.
Jim Shertzer
Staff Arts Reporter
The Winston-Salem Journal
N.C.
tffAY
Editor: Marshall Thomas
Managing Editor: Sonny Linder
Art Editor; Amy Salganik
Copy Editor; Robin Dreyer
Typist: Bill Wren
Advisors; Bill and M’Lou Bancroft
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The Essay Seeks Identity
By MARYA COLUMBIA
Despite the Essay’s short lived history
under its new management, it has in
curred its share of difficulties related to
the production and the staff. One of the
biggest problems has been that the paper
is understaffed and the staff members
aren’t always free at the same time for
staff meetings. Until this issue, there has
only been one photographer to cover all
stories. A tremendous amount of work
goes into each issue, with the staff
learning more about the production of a
newspaper with each succeeding issue.
The newspaper has not yet taken on a
particular character or reached an
established format, and can therefore
become whatever it is molded. However,
this has brought about numerous con
flicts and complaints, as to what the
function of the school newspaper is, what
it should be, what and whose purpose it is
serving.
After the last issue, one comment I
heard repeatedly was that the emphasis
of the news tended to be too
homogeneous. The newspaper served as
an extention of the student government
and didn’t cover what most students
would find interesting; it only echoed the
voices of those in the student govern
ment. There was not enough coverage of
art and other related topics. The paper
was trying to become too much of a
politically-oriented paper and since that
is not the central focus of interest on this
campus, people aren’t interestd in
reading what’s been printed.
Each person on the staff has his own
particular viewpoint and concept of the
paper. The paper takes on a
homogeneous character if most of the
staff share similar feelings about what
should be written. This syndrome (if
that’s what it is) can be allieviated if the
criticisms, suggestions, complaints,
reach the ears of those working on the
paper. The emphasis of the paper cannot
be shifted without strong external
feedback, reactions, letters, new ideas,
and new people to help.
Most school papers are put out by a
journalism class of students specifically
interested in and oriented towards
reporting, writing, doing the
photography, layout, and all other
aspects of producing a newspaper. Since
these students are generally preparing
for jobs in the field of journalism, their
papers are modeled after the N.Y.
Times, the Washington Post, and so on.
In this respect, the NC Essay is unlike
most college or even high school
newspapers in that this is not the prime
interest of the students working on the
paper. Working on the paper often takes
secondary importance for more pressing
or important matters, such as rehearsals
for plays, working on productions, or
preparations for recitals.
Because it is not organized or run in a
conventional manner, it is not bound by a
conventional form. I think that there are
just about limitless possibilities of what
can be done with it. It could become an
avant-garde-type newspaper, which it
now isn’t and probably won’t become
unless new attitudes and ideas are in
troduced. But the important point to
stress is that it can become, and it is,
whatever gets put into it.
If an individual student is dissatisfied
with the paper, as many are and perhaps
should be, if students want to see better
representation, more coverage of a
specific aspect, then he can see that it is
changed either by presenting his views to
the staff, or by contributing to the next
issue. People wishing to write an article,
or those wanting a specific article
written, are always welcome. About half
of this year’s Essay staff will not be here
next year, which means the paper needs
to find new recruits for next year.
Marya Columbia is a high school senior
violin major and an Essay staff member.
jttosb of all ^
now!